Donation and server explanation please.

[Homeyd1973]

So I was reading reviews on app store, and some people raised the question about how they are displeased with donations, I don't mind them if it keeps better stuff coming from devs. But I was confused about server stuff can unexplain how icam works.  Am I to understand somehow my video stream is going to your server and then sent to my phone? If you ever get bought out, go out of business or have a total hardware failure. Does that mean my icam will be worthless? I'm confused and am not super computer savvy.  I'd like to understand how this works.  I wouldn't mind donating to keep development coming but am nervous I rely on a system that has a middle man, and that middle man could crash and leave me stranded. 

Thanks

[Stefan]

So I was reading reviews on app store, and some people raised the question about how they are displeased with donations, I don't mind them if it keeps better stuff coming from devs. But I was confused about server stuff can unexplain how icam works.  Am I to understand somehow my video stream is going to your server and then sent to my phone? If you ever get bought out, go out of business or have a total hardware failure. Does that mean my icam will be worthless? I'm confused and am not super computer savvy.  I'd like to understand how this works.  I wouldn't mind donating to keep development coming but am nervous I rely on a system that has a middle man, and that middle man could crash and leave me stranded. 

Thanks

First off I would like to thank you for posting your question in the forum instead of just writing it in a review since we have no way of answering questions asked in the App Store.

The primary reason that we included the contribution button is that over the years a number of users have been happy enough with iCam that they have gone out of their way to e-mail us to ask for our mailing address or PayPal account so that they could send us more money for the app. We have also noticed other applications throughout the store with "donate" buttons so we figured that the users that wanted to send us a little extra money could so without sending us an e-mail, and those that didn't want to contribute simply wouldn't. Although I don't understand the reasoning behind the 1-star reviews by users that are absolutely appalled at the idea of a contribution button even existing, I suppose it falls under the "no matter what you do, someone will be angry about it" rule.

The secondary reason for the contribution option is that we do incur ongoing monthly server and bandwidth costs to provide our users with the iCam Service. The iCam Service is essentially the "zero-config" connection capability and the Push Notifications that are sent whenever motion is detected.

We think that one of the major benefits of iCam is that the "zero-config" connection logic means that the majority of our users don't have to configure their routers, figure out their IP addresses, or setup a third-party dynamic DNS service to view their cameras when they are away from their home network. All they have to do is pick a login and password combination, enter it into iCam and the iCamSource, and that's it.

Push Notifications are also one of the more useful features of iCam, and the way that Apple has things set up is that our servers have to receive the motion detection messages from the iCamSources and then forward them on to Apple. The iCamSource cannot send the notifications directly to Apple's servers.

iCam video and audio are streamed peer-to-peer, directly from your iCamSource to your iCam, without going through our servers, as stated in the FAQ.

If you (or anyone else) has any further questions, please post it below.

Thanks!

[Homeyd1973]

So I was reading reviews on app store, and some people raised the question about how they are displeased with donations, I don't mind them if it keeps better stuff coming from devs. But I was confused about server stuff can unexplain how icam works.  Am I to understand somehow my video stream is going to your server and then sent to my phone? If you ever get bought out, go out of business or have a total hardware failure. Does that mean my icam will be worthless? I'm confused and am not super computer savvy.  I'd like to understand how this works.  I wouldn't mind donating to keep development coming but am nervous I rely on a system that has a middle man, and that middle man could crash and leave me stranded. 

Thanks

First off I would like to thank you for posting your question in the forum instead of just writing it in a review since we have no way of answering questions asked in the App Store.

The primary reason that we included the contribution button is that over the years a number of users have been happy enough with iCam that they have gone out of their way to e-mail us to ask for our mailing address or PayPal account so that they could send us more money for the app. We have also noticed other applications throughout the store with "donate" buttons so we figured that the users that wanted to send us a little extra money could so without sending us an e-mail, and those that didn't want to contribute simply wouldn't. Although I don't understand the reasoning behind the 1-star reviews by users that are absolutely appalled at the idea of a contribution button even existing, I suppose it falls under the "no matter what you do, someone will be angry about it" rule.

The secondary reason for the contribution option is that we do incur ongoing monthly server and bandwidth costs to provide our users with the iCam Service. The iCam Service is essentially the "zero-config" connection capability and the Push Notifications that are sent whenever motion is detected.

We think that one of the major benefits of iCam is that the "zero-config" connection logic means that the majority of our users don't have to configure their routers, figure out their IP addresses, or setup a third-party dynamic DNS service to view their cameras when they are away from their home network. All they have to do is pick a login and password combination, enter it into iCam and the iCamSource, and that's it.

Push Notifications are also one of the more useful features of iCam, and the way that Apple has things set up is that our servers have to receive the motion detection messages from the iCamSources and then forward them on to Apple. The iCamSource cannot send the notifications directly to Apple's servers.

iCam video and audio are streamed peer-to-peer, directly from your iCamSource to your iCam, without going through our servers, as stated in the FAQ.

If you (or anyone else) has any further questions, please post it below.

Thanks!

Unbelievable response time! Thanks for the explanation. I love the notifications and yes icam is super simple.  I get now why you use the middle man.  Good to know my videos are sent from source to app without fear of it being accessed through your servers.  It all makes sense now.  And I get why you have the donate button. Doesnt bother me at all.  When it works it's the best security system I've ever used.  I know new update has bugs but am sure you'll work em out. Those that don't want to donate, shouldn't.  They should rate based on how well it works.  Consider me sending you a donation.  Hoping new update will be fixed so I can have more options and access to better cameras.  Currently using the Xbox 360 camera and it's always worked great.  I don't need sound right now.  What I would love is to figure out a wireless camera I could put in my house in one room without needing to have it attached. I heard about an izon camera at best buy, but read bad things about it.  Just throwing it out there as an example. Like their design, and magnet base, but I think they use their own processes and don't think it would jive with icam.

Anyway typed up on my iPhone. Sorry for the wall of text.  I'll be giving you a 5 star rating now.

Thanks.

Thanks

[Stefan]

Unbelievable response time! Thanks for the explanation. I love the notifications and yes icam is super simple.  I get now why you use the middle man.  Good to know my videos are sent from source to app without fear of it being accessed through your servers.  It all makes sense now.  And I get why you have the donate button. Doesnt bother me at all.  When it works it's the best security system I've ever used.  I know new update has bugs but am sure you'll work em out. Those that don't want to donate, shouldn't.  They should rate based on how well it works.  Consider me sending you a donation.  Hoping new update will be fixed so I can have more options and access to better cameras.  Currently using the Xbox 360 camera and it's always worked great.  I don't need sound right now.  What I would love is to figure out a wireless camera I could put in my house in one room without needing to have it attached. I heard about an izon camera at best buy, but read bad things about it.  Just throwing it out there as an example. Like their design, and magnet base, but I think they use their own processes and don't think it would jive with icam.

Anyway typed up on my iPhone. Sorry for the wall of text.  I'll be giving you a 5 star rating now.

Thanks.

Thanks

Thanks for your response, support, and feedback.

As for wireless cameras, we do have experience with a few different WiFi cameras that we discuss here: http://skjm.com/forum/index.php?topic=908.0